This is the section that matters most if you use more than one device, or if losing your notes would really hurt. Let's take it step by step.
9.1 Sync via Google Drive
What happens. Your notes are copied into a special app-data folder in your Google Drive. It doesn't appear among your regular files, and only the Loknot app can access it. No other app can reach in.
Your Drive really is yours. We don't keep your notes ourselves. Loknot has no servers with your data. There's your phone and there's your Google Drive.
Turning it on:
- Open the "Backups" screen (the Saved notes view, cloud icon in the bottom bar).
- Tap "Sign in with Google" and pick an account.
- Turn on "Automatic sync".
The rest takes care of itself.
Sync settings
Automatic sync. The app pushes your changes and pulls edits from your other devices on its own. Turn it off and sync only runs when you tap "Refresh".
Wi-Fi only. On by default: sync spares your mobile data and waits for Wi-Fi. If you have an unlimited plan and want notes to leave for the cloud immediately, uncheck it.
Refresh. A manual sync, right now. The very first sync has to be kicked off with this button.
What the statuses mean
| Status | What it means |
|---|---|
| All changes saved | Everything is fine and saved locally |
| Synced | Cloud and device match |
| Syncing… | Data is being exchanged right now |
| Sync paused | No connection, or "Wi-Fi only" is on and Wi-Fi isn't available |
| Sync error | Something went wrong — tap "Retry" |
| Not synced yet | The first sync hasn't been run |
The time of the last sync is shown as well.
End-to-end encryption Pro
The Pro edition adds Encrypted sync: notes are encrypted on your device and arrive in the cloud already scrambled. Nobody but you can read them — not Google, not us.
How it works. You choose a master password. It never leaves your device and isn't stored anywhere — not on any server, not in your account. Each new device asks for it once, so the app can decrypt your notes locally.
Plainly, no fine print: if you forget the master password, the encrypted notes can't be recovered — not by support, not by anyone. That isn't harshness, it's the flip side of real encryption: nobody but you has the password, so nobody but you can reset it. Store it somewhere reliable: a password manager, or on paper.
Changing the master password is possible at any time (you'll need to know the current one).
In the free edition
Sync works, but notes sit in your Google Drive without end-to-end encryption. They're still in the private app-data folder that only the app can reach, and they're protected by your Google account — but technically Google could read them.
The app says so plainly on the sync screen. If you want the guarantee that nobody at all can read them, that's Pro.
Disabling sync and clearing the cloud
You can turn sync off, and you can wipe the cloud copy. The app asks twice and reminds you: notes on the device stay, only the cloud copy is deleted. This is permanent, so make a local backup first (see 9.3).
9.2 What happens when you edit on two devices
The scenario: you edit a note on your phone, then edit the same note on your tablet while the phone is offline. Who wins?
Usually both. Loknot merges edits character by character rather than picking a winner. If you added a paragraph at the top on your phone and a paragraph at the bottom on your tablet, both paragraphs will be there after sync. Nothing is lost.
Occasionally a merge isn't possible. When edits overlap too much, the app keeps one version and tells you clearly: which version was kept — local or cloud — and which note it was. Nothing gets silently thrown away.
Notes too large to sync. Very large notes hit a size limit for cloud sync. Such a note:
- keeps working normally on this device — nothing is lost;
- doesn't go to the cloud and doesn't appear on your other devices.
The app shows a notice with the count of such notes. The fix is simple: split the note into a few smaller ones.
9.3 Backing up to a file
Even with sync on, a separate file backup is a good habit. It doesn't depend on any account, and it doesn't need the internet.
Backups screen → "Local backup".
Create a backup
The app writes everything — all notes and folders — into a single file on your device. The current totals are shown right there.
A password for the backup. The app offers to password-protect the file and explains why: a backup is just a file — it can be copied, sent, or lost along with the phone. With a password, it's useless to anyone else.
- Minimum password length is 8 characters.
- With "Extra security" on (section 10), the rules tighten: at least 10 characters, plus an uppercase letter, a lowercase letter, a digit and a special character. The app shows which requirements you've already met.
- A strength meter tells you how good the password really is.
You can make a backup without a password, but the app warns you: anyone who ends up with the file can read your notes.
Password hint. You can add an optional hint to jog your memory. Important: the hint is stored in plain text and is visible without the password. Don't put the password itself in it.
Restoring from a file
Pick the backup file and your notes come back.
How it works:
- Notes from the file are added to what you have — nothing gets erased.
- Duplicates are skipped — restoring twice won't produce copies.
- If the file is encrypted, the app asks for the password.
- A file made by a newer Loknot version can't be opened — update the app first.
Backup reminders
If it's been more than 30 days since your last backup, the app nudges you gently. Not a pushy notification — just a line in the "System status" section.
9.4 Sharing a single note
Share (the toolbar icon) sends the note's text to any other app: a messenger, mail, anything you like. For screenplays it sends a Fountain-format file.
Export (the download icon) lets you choose a format:
| Format | What it's for |
|---|---|
.txt | Plain text — opens anywhere |
.md | Markdown — for other note apps |
.html | A web page, formatting preserved |
.pdf | Screenplays only Pro — finished paginated layout |
.loknot | A complete copy of the note with fonts and styling, ready to open in desktop Loknot |
You can export several notes at once: select them in the list and pick Export.
Importing files
Loknot opens .txt, .md, .markdown and .fountain files. The display mode is picked based on the file type: .md opens as Markdown, .fountain as a screenplay.